Red Dress
by The Flamel Cult
Summary: One Yule Ball. One dance before Christmas. One Edward Elric in formal wear...or something among those lines. One Winry Rockbell in a stunning red dress. What does it equal? One rather awkward night. Ed/Win. — Annie&Summer.


_Written by Annie and Summer. _

_Annie - Edward  
Summer - Winry _

* * *

Red. . . it wasn't just a simple color anymore. Actually, after this, I think it can definitely be named the most sinful color in the world- no, the universe.

I know what you're thinking. 'Red's just a color, dipshit, there's no actual way for a color to be evil!' and, look, I know that, but... there's no possible way for a color to be 'innocent' when it looks... looks like... when it... when it looks so... like that! ... don't get it? When red and a mechanic (particularly this one) mix, it... it... there's no way that it can be innocent. Then again- maybe it's the dress that's evil, not the color (though, red did have _some _play in it). I mean, no dress can be that short- and still be safe.

Granted, she's worn shorter- but...

Great, now we're back to the color.

I shook my head and glanced down at the drink in my hand- briefly wondering if that senile 'head-master' put something in the whole batch... I huffed and sat it next to me before looking back up.

"Hey, Ed!"

I blinked and re-focused my gaze to Winry. (_Wait, is she wearing make up?) _Who was smiling rather brightly and walking toward me.

"Err... H-Hey!" I responded, grinning and running a hand through my pony-tail before letting my hand rest on my neck.

She cocked her head and looked down at the drink next to me. "Is that yours?" she asked.

I nodded and gaped as she swiped the glass and downed it before throwing it at me.

"Woah! Hey! That was mine!" I growled, grabbing the glass and placing it on the other side of the stone bench I was sitting on.

"I know," she replied, sitting down next to me (to close I might add) "I wouldn't have taken in If it wasn't yours." She snorted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I furrowed my eyebrows as something _else _caught my attention.

No, no. Maybe it's _Winry _that's the evil one... I mean, she picked the dress out- didn't she? Color, length, strapless... ness...

I cocked my head and rose a finger to run along her left shoulder. She jumped and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "What?" She hissed.

I blinked and withdrew my hand, eyebrows raising. "Uh... Nothing." I replied simply, crossing my legs.

She blinked and looked down at my legs as they crossed. "You wore your _leather_?"

I let one eyebrow fall and nodded. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"This is a formal occasion- you know that, right?"

"Why the hell else would my mechanic be wearing the... the shortest freakin' dress ever!" I hissed back. "I like my leather, though, and it's comfortable."

She huffed. "Well, excuse me. And that leather's probably seen more blood then _I _have!"

I thought for a second before replying with: "Yeah, it probably has- actually."

A distant call told us that the _champions _need to open the _ball _now.

I stayed seated.

Winry furrowed her eyebrows (_in maybe the most adorable way possible- _wait, what?) and continued to stare at me. "Aren't you going?"

"Nope." I replied shortly, bringing my legs into a butterfly position and grabbing the toes- I rocked back and forth. "No date. Never really cared."

Winry hummed slightly. "I don't have one, either."

After a pause... "You don't?" I repeated.

"You sound surprised." she responded.

"Surprised? Why would I be surprised?" I gave a sheepish chuckle before adding to myself with another once-over of my blond mechanic. I am surprised, though, who _wouldn't _want to dance with her...?

She shrugged. "Eh, I got a few offers- none of the men around her are particularly... flare-y, though."

"I don't think 'flare-y' is a word..." I responded. She half-turned and swatted me over the head.

"None of them piqued my interest."

"Oh," I responded with a nod.

An awkward silence...

.

.

You know, it's rather _hard _to like someone.

I mean, I know that... I _like _Edward that way, and I just _know_ he likes me too, but he's so stubborn! Won't admit it, and so when I told Hermione and Parvati and Lavender, the latter told me to take an assertive move - Hermione said to take it slowly, but I just couldn't do that anymore.

That was the reason behind the whole red dress, anyways - I know Edward's favorite color was red, and I knew this dress would _definitely _get his eyes on me. And it did.

But then, being the stupid, stubborn, lovable idiot he is, he only looked once and then to my face, surprised. He talked to me, yes, but it wasn't the type of talk that I imagined us having - he looked surprised that no one had asked me to the Yule Ball - _well they did but I turned them down because I was a girl with a mission_ - and I was even excited when he ran a finger down my shoulder which gave me a shiver.

But he kept talking to me in _that _way. Like I was just his childhood friend and mechanic.

He didn't even have a date, which made it all the better for me - I decided that this was my chance, especially when they called the contestants to come up.

I stood, grabbing Ed's real shoulder and jerking him up. Even though he didn't stand, he did glare at me when his glass fell on the floor. "What the hell, Win?"

"Come on, Ed. You have to go to the opening of the Ball."

Edward rolled his eyes at my stubbornness. "I don't have a date," he reminded me, as if that was a reason to _not _go.

"Then _I'll_ be your date!"

I didn't realize that the words came out of my mouth before they did. And I saw Edward looking at me, eyebrows raised all the way to his hairline - _golden blonde, which was slowly becoming my favorite color _- and I felt myself flush all over. Suddenly, I didn't feel so confident anymore, and I was starting to think that Hermione's way was better, I just should have waited. I hastily fell to cover it up.

"I-I mean, j-j-just as fri-"

"Okay," he said indifferently, standing up. He held out his arm to me. "You're my date, then." There was an amused smile on his face, almost like this was a pleasant surprise that he was somehow expecting and not expecting. I felt a warmth rush through me when he said 'my date'.

I slipped my arm through his - _it was his flesh arm, which felt warm entwined with mine _- and he lead the way to the opening of the Yule Ball.

.

.

You know, I didn't entirely _know _how to dance... but... It can't be _that hard _can it?

In the center, yet as far away from the center of the ballroom, the other champions had already started dancing- so I slid us in and put my hands around her waist gently, slightly gasping when she pulled me closer.

We were _touching_. _Chest to Chest. _and I _am _bright red. I _know it. _

Alright, just... just start up conversation. That'll be... that'll make things easier.

I find myself lazily resting my head against her's (_my mouth, oh so conveniently landing right next to her ear) _and mumbling. "I thought blue was your favorite color..."

She shivered slightly, but I dismissed it as she nuzzled her forehead into my neck (_now she wasn't the only one with shivers)_. "Eeh... Isn't red yours?"

I blinked slightly and swayed with her and the music ( It really _wasn't _hard), pausing before replying. "Well, if it wasn't before- it sure as hell is now." I chuckled nervously, but it somehow came out as more of a giggle...

.

.

I never learned how to dance, really.

Mostly, there were these little festivals in Risembool, where we would all just get up and move to the music. That was as far as I got to dancing - probably how much Ed got to either, unless he's learned ballroom dancing before going to a military ball or something - I heard they did that in Central.

We snuck in from the side - I don't think anyone saw us, and the champions had already been announced, so it couldn't have been helped. I was terrified for a second that he might not want to dance anymore, now that he didn't really _need _a date. But he turned to me and bowed slightly. I was surprised, but when he came up, he was blushing slightly and smirking. It was cute.

"Wanna dance?"

It wasn't the most formal way to ask, but I accepted with a beaming face anyways.

I felt him put his hands on my waist, and in returned I reached up to link my hands around his neck. He really _had _gotten taller - now more than half-a-head taller than me. I kinda missed short Ed, but I liked having him this tall more; he seemed more...I don't know? _Protective? Mysterious?_ Something along those lines.

I was sure my face was red, and his was rather pink too. I don't know why in hell I ever asked if he wanted to dance. This obviously was awkward for both of us.

Suddenly, I felt him leaning down, and soon his mouth was _conveniently _near my ear, so when he talked, I could feel his breath and voice clear.

"I thought blue was your favorite color?"

His voice had gotten deeper too. Perhaps I never noticed it - but it gave me chills down my back that I was sure he could see. I hesitantly leaned more against him, apparently surprising him when he went stiff as I laid my head against his chest, not daring to look up at him. "Um...isn't red yours?" I mumbled, sure that my initial plan was out now.

"Well, I didn't really have much of a favorite before - but it sure is now," he chuckled softly, and I felt my face going pink.

_Was that a compliment?_ Because I know his favorite was red. He said so. So that was totally a compliment, and I could feel myself getting happier, a bubbly feeling producing in my chest.

_Really, was it that easy this whole time? _

_._

_._

Aaarg, Ed, she's _just your mechanic!_

But... she really isn't, is she? She's not. She's more then a mechanic. She's my best friend...

I glanced into the crowd to see Al smirking at me smugly as he twirled around freely with Ginny. This confused me, a little, because I'm _pretty sure _he didn't ask anyone to the dance... This was confirmed when he let her go and gently pushed her into another's hold before turning to catch Luna and pull her from the crowd. I grinned widely, my little brother is such a... such a boy. I chuckled slightly and buried my nose back into Winry's hair. She smells like apples- for the most part, along with oil. But if she didn't smell like oil, i'd probably not be drawing in as much of the sent as possible. It just wouldn't be right if she _didn't _smell like oil. She is my mechanic, after all.

But, she isn't just a mechanic (she's a doctor, too. Her her). She's not just my best friend... either.

Though, I never was good with these things- I'm not stupid. I know what love is... it's just...

She probably didn't want me to get in trouble for not opening this... ball thing. That's probably the only reason...

_"I-i mean, j-j-just as a fri-"_

She was about to say 'friend'. Thats why I cut her off, i think. I couldn't really bare to hear it.

My arms tightened around her waist and I smirked against her head. Whether she just thinks of me as a friend or not- I think I can just pretend, for now. For two reasons, really. One, if I confessed- and she didn't like me back- I think that even our friendship would fall apart. Though, that might just be me underestimating our friendship and the fact that we've been together (though, not the way I would've liked it) practically forever. and, two, it's okay to pretend once in a while.. Isn't it?

I rose my left hand up her back and let it run through her hair. I liked it when her hair was down like this, it rarely was. I briefly wondered why she always put it up- or why it was down right now, but shrugged it off and continued to play with her hair as we gently swayed to the surprisingly normal music.

.

.

He was playing with my hair.

He was _playing _with my _hair._

I felt him bring me closer, and I almost blushed crimson. I didn't dare look up, didn't dare look at the facial expression he would be making - which would obviously be so much collected than mine - and I don't think I could face him without reaching up to kiss him.

"Your heart's beating awfully fast," he commented, and I felt my heart beat _even _faster. Was it that noticeable?

"Is it?" I mumbled, willing it to calm down.

"Yeah."

"Oh." This was really awkward. Most probably the most awkward I'd had in years, no most awkward _ever._ It was like we were drifting further apart to me strangers than really best friends...which I didn't want to be. But I didn't want to be a stranger, either. I decided to go the safe route. "So, what do you think of the tournament?"

I could practically see him scrunch his nose in that cute way he did when he was displeased. "I fucking hate it," he said, sounding a little bit more forceful and strong. "but I have to go through it in the end, and it's not really that hard."

_Fighting a dragon wasn't hard? Swimming with automail - especially to just get _me _- it wasn't hard? _"Oh." I didn't really want to know what would make him think that way. I didn't want to fear for Edward more than I already did.

Suddenly, he stepped back a little, then tilted his head. I was sure my face was at least a little pink, and surprised - he was warm, and when he stepped back, I missed some of the warmth he took with him. Did he not want to dance anymore? The music _was _starting to fade...

"Do you want something to drink?" he said. "Y'know, after taking mine."

I nodded, suddenly relieved. So he was just being a gentleman - which I thought was weird after I saw his broad back moving toward the refreshment table, but sweet and somehow attractive anyways.

.

.

I walked back to her, some of this 'butterbeer' stuff clasped in each hand. I got her the 'warm' version (I thought it was a bit weird they had both) and kept the icy version for myself. I knew she liked warm drinks- she always had, really. The exception being things that weren't 'supposed' to be warm, like lemonade and water.

I sat next to her and brought my legs up into a butterfly position, handing her the warm drink and prying off the cap to the cold bottle that held my own.

Ah, now conversation...

"So..." I started as I searched for a topic. "find anything to take apart, lately?"

I coughed into my hand slightly at the awkwardness and took a sip of the drink.

"What kind of question is that?" she responded.

I blinked and looked back at her. "You like taking things apart.

"There's nothing electric in the school, no electricity, remember?"

I rose an eyebrow. "Just because it doesn't have any electricity doesn't mean you can't toy with it; and you have me- too."

Her eyes widened and I quickly continued. "My automail! I meant my automail!"

.

.

I felt myself blush. He was blushing too, looking more awkward and rubbing the back of his head after handing me my drink. Suddenly, he didn't look like that cool, calm, collected man I saw before, more like the cute, awkward blonde that I'd grew up with. I found myself liking both.

"So...um...yeah, I didn't mean it like that..." he said, but I was still stunned from what he said earlier.

"Oh...yeah, I - I understand..."

There was another awkward silence. I had no idea what to do. Suddenly, a guys comes up to me - he was rather tall, I should say, with set shoulders and dark hair cropped close to his head, and had this whole tough look.

I rather preferred blondes.

But he gave me a charming smile and picked up my hand, kissing it lightly before I was able to make a sound. "Vhat iz a pretty girl like you doing here, miz?"

_I'm on a date with my longtime crush._ I wanted to say to him, but before I could, Edward removed his hand and glared at him, eyes burning -

.

.

I coughed into my fist. "Uh, don't you think it's kind of rude to kiss a girl's hand right in front of her... boyfriend?" I asked, narrowing golden eyes and blushing brightly around my nose. Pounding myself with questions as I did so. Why the hell am I saying this, what the fuck is wrong with me?

The man huffed. "Vhy vould she go vith a puny man like yourself vhen she could have a man like me?"

I stood sharply. "Puny? I could kick your ass with one hand, dipshit!"

"Somehou, I highly douvt tat."

I rose my right hand, putting my other behind my back. "Wanna find out?"

The man huffed, eying me slightly. "A vaste of my tiem."

I growled deeply and let my left foot dart out to hook around his, pulling sharply I forced him into a painful form of the splits.

He yelped and his eyes started moistening (YES), I grinned and pulled Winry up by the hand, putting my arm around her waist (that damn drink MUST have alchoholic contents), leading her to the side after grabbing both our drinks. "Well!~ That was unpleasant."

.

.

I found myself stunned, being pulled by Edward to the outskirts of the Great Hall, into one of the smaller, less crowded and less decorated hallways.

_"Don't you think it's rude to kiss a girl's hand right in front of her boyfriend?"_

That sentence kept repeating itself in my mind, repeating over and over. _Boyfriend. _He called himself my..._boyfriend. _Did that make me his...girlfriend? The simple thought made me float all the way up to the clouds.

"Winry?"

I heard his soft, hesitant voice, golden eyes looking at me full of hesitation. He was blushing brightly around his nose, and he didn't look straight at my face, more toward his feet, but when he took a deep breath and started talking, I was so sure he was talking straight through me.

"Listen, about that - "

I noticed he was still holding on to my hand, and I could stop looking at it. Before he could say anything, I acted on impulse, threw my arms around him, and kissed him soundly on the lips.

After all, a girlfriend should do that for her boyfriend when he does something like that, right?

.

.

Oh... my... fucking... god...

She's kissing me.

She's _kissing me._

_HOLY FUCK. SHE'S KISSING ME._

Eyes wide, I stood in shock for a moment before my shoulders fell and my eyes narrowed to slits before closing completely. I wrapped my automail arm around her waist and puller her closer (if that was possible) and let my other hand travel into her hair.

.

.

I felt like I was on cloud nine. All the way up in the air. Like I was in some kind of pig fluffy pillow that just made me want to snuggled up forever. All my senses were overrun by Ed; his smell, his touch, hearing him moving against me, his taste, it was all..._there._ It was the _only _think there.

We broke away - well, I did first, blushing and gasping for air, and he was looking at me in shock, arms still curled around me tight. My arms were still linked around his neck, and we were so close; there was only a centimeter between our lips.

Suddenly, in front of us, there was a low whistle. Ed and I snapped out head toward it simultaneously - there was Alphonse, with his eyebrow raised, and Ron beside him. The redhead's face was...well...red, and his jaw dropped, blue eyes wide and somewhat discouraged.

"Wow, brother," Al snickered. "I had no idea you could kiss like that."

Ed blushed another shade of pink, and I beamed suddenly, feeling so happy that no teasing could get in my way. I laid my head against Edward's chest, not feeling the least bit awkward. Edward shuffled a little. Harry came up beside Ron, who had recovered himself.

"Looks like you never had a chance, mate." he said sympathetically.

Edward's eye twitched while I giggled. "What made you think so in the first place?" he growled, looking a little protective. I didn't mind anything that was happening, just returned to my cloud where there was only me and Edward.

.

.

Oh, they just had to come in NOW didn't they?

I furrowed my eyebrows and growled. "Maybe you should go dance with Hermione, now, Al... take Ron with you- and Harry." I grumbled, hugging Winry tighter (though, being careful with my automail) and shifting my weight slightly.

"Whaat? So you can kiss Winry more~?"

I scoffed. "Why else? I've been waiting for this for- what, five years?"

I rolled my eyes and nuzzled my nose into Winry's head. "So... yeah, piss off." I mumbled again.

My little brother giggled and swept Ron and Harry away. "Don't have too much fun, brother~"

I blushed deeper and hid my face further into my mechanic's bangs.

.

.

* * *

_Summer - Crap, that was long. Seriously, this was like this RP thing from the Forum that me and Annie did - Annie pushed me to finish it and kept placing me in AWKWARD SITUATIONS._

_Annie - I apologize for being so confusing. XD Yeah...that's really much it. I can't say more than that. _

_._

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_[Review~!]_

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